In short
To elope in Australia you need an authorised marriage celebrant, a Notice of Intended Marriage lodged with that celebrant at least one month before the ceremony, and two witnesses aged 18 or over on the day. There is no minimum guest count and no requirement to hold a reception — which is why most elopement planning is really about the sequence, not the shopping list.
- Wedding shape
- Eloping
- Price
- Free, no card
- Set-up questions
- 3 pre-filled
- Market
- Australia
- Reviewed
- August 2026
What changes when you elope
The one-month notice sets your earliest date
The NOIM has to be with your celebrant at least a month before you marry, and it stays valid for 18 months. Until it's lodged, no date is real — so it's the first thing to sort, not a formality to tidy up later.
Your witnesses are a requirement, not a guest list
Two people aged 18 or over have to witness the marriage and sign. Plenty of couples ask their photographer and a friend, or a celebrant's colleague. It's worth deciding early, because it changes who has to physically be there.
Money moves from catering to the things you keep
Without a reception, the biggest line in a normal wedding budget disappears. Elopement budgets usually concentrate on the photographer, the location and what you wear — which is exactly where your plan starts you.
You may still want a party later
A lot of couples elope and hold a celebration months afterwards. That's a second, separate plan — and it's much easier to run when the legal side is already finished and photographed.
Eloping removes the guest list, not the paperwork.
Answer five quick questions and get an elopement plan in the order it has to happen — settle the date, book the celebrant, lodge the legal notice, and the photographer and the day itself fall in behind them.
How Wedyesday plans an elopement
- 01
Answer five questions
Your names, when, where, what you can spend, and what matters most. Guest count is already set to two — your witnesses — and there's no multi-day arc to configure.
- 02
Get the legal sequence on dates
Your checklist arrives with the legal steps for wherever you're marrying — who has to authorise it and what has to be filed — dated against your timeline, alongside the photography and location tasks your priorities pulled in.
- 03
See what an elopement actually costs
Your budget is split across categories and measured against published ranges for your own city, in your own currency, so you can see immediately whether your number is under, about typical, or over.
- 04
Keep it, or print it and walk away
Nothing leaves your browser until you choose. Save it to a free workspace to keep tracking, or print the plan and use it however you like.
Your wizard is already set up for this
Start from this page and we'll skip the questions this already answers:
- Guest count set to 2 — just your witnesses
- A single ceremony, no multi-day arc
- Photography, the location and what you'll wear as your priorities
Nothing is locked — every pre-filled answer is editable, and there's a one-tap option to answer all seven questions yourself instead.
Questions couples ask
How long does it take to elope in Australia?
At minimum, one month and one day from lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage with your celebrant. Most couples allow six to eight weeks so there's room to find a celebrant they like and a photographer who's free.
Do we need witnesses to elope?
Yes. Two witnesses aged 18 or over must be present and sign the marriage certificate. They don't have to be family or friends — many couples ask their photographer, or their celebrant arranges someone.
What does eloping cost in Australia?
It varies enormously because there's no catering floor. The reliable costs are the celebrant and the registry paperwork; after that it's whatever you spend on a photographer, a location and clothes. Build your plan and you'll see a split for your region rather than a national average.
Can we still have a wedding website if we elope?
Yes, and plenty of eloping couples do — it's how they tell everyone afterwards, share the photos, and invite people to a party later. Your free Wedyesday website can be published whenever you're ready, including in more than one language.
Just the two of you. Still worth planning properly.
Free, and your answers stay in your browser until you choose to save them.